Basic Evacuation Procedures

Notification to Evacuate

Should there be a need to evacuate your floor in an emergency situation, you will hear an alarm followed by a recorded voice message instructing you to use the nearest exit stairs. There will also be flashing alarm indicators in the corridors. You also may be instructed to evacuate by
direct contact from building management.

Please make note, that the fire system is designed to activate the audible alarms on the floor in which the emergency exits, the stairwells, the next two floors above and one floor below the effected floor. This is to allow individuals in the immediate danger to evacuate first. For this reason, individuals on floors not in an alarm condition may or may not hear an alarm sounding.

Evacuation Procedures

During an emergency you must evacuate through the stairs; the elevators will not be in use. Any physically disabled persons that cannot go down the stairs should wait in the pressurized stairwells for the fire rescue to rescue them.

If there is smoke present in your office suite or corridor, crawl across the floor to the nearest exit. The smoke and gases will rise toward the ceiling; the air near the floor will be easier to breathe. If you approach a closed door, touch it first to determine if it is hot before you open it.
If it is hot, there may be a fire on the other side of the door; you should use an alternate escape route.

When descending a stairwell, employees should walk single file, staying close to the outer walls. When approaching landings, watch for doors opening and additional people entering the stairwell.

The stairwells are pressurized to prevent the infiltration of smoke, but if while using the stairs you should encounter extreme heat or smoke, return to the nearest floor, check to see if it is safe, and proceed to the opposite stairwell.

The designated Floor Warden for the floor should check to see that all suites are empty and that no one is remaining in the restrooms or elevator lobbies.

If there is a small fire on your floor, alert 911 and building management. Only those people who are certified in fire safety procedure can operate a fire extinguisher. Never attempt to fight a fire by yourself.

In any situation, stay calm, walk through the corridors and down the stairs in an orderly manner, and be alert to instructions given by emergency personnel and the building management. Be sure to congregate in designated area assigned by your company’s Fire Warden.

Do not re-enter the building until instructed to do so by building management personnel.

It is imperative that whenever there is an alarm you must follow the instructions to exit the building. An emergency situation may not always be obvious from your location in the building. Do not assume that it is “just a drill”.

In compliance with the City of Tampa Fire Marshall, the preceding outline is provided for your safety.